Nipmuc Regional High School Students Complete Future Builders Mentorship Program

UPTON— Superintendent Maureen Cohen and Nipmuc Regional High School Co-Principals John Clements and Mary Anne Moran are pleased to share that three Nipmuc Regional High School students completed an eight-week intensive after-school course provided by the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts, Inc., the Future Builders High School Mentorship Program.

The Future Builders High School Mentorship Program educates students about construction-related career paths and develops leadership skills critical to the industry.

This opportunity for students to learn about the construction industry was offered for the first time this year to Nipmuc Regional High School.

Eight after-school seminars covered information on basic building design and construction principles, inspiring and enlightening students to explore careers in architecture, engineering and construction through connections with community professionals.

To enhance their learning, students from both Nipmuc High School and neighboring Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School worked in small teams with industry professionals to complete hands-on projects, such as building structurally stable model towers out of limited materials. Students also toured building sites to see first-hand how the principles of their learning apply in real-world settings.

Professionals from Shawmut Design and Construction, Consigli Construction and Colantonio Inc. shared expertise in structural engineering, civil engineering, virtual design and construction, scheduling logic, environmental building concepts and public speaking throughout the two-hour sessions.

On May 16, students applied their knowledge and presented key takeaways they had learned throughout the program to invited mentors and guests.

The group of students discussed software applications for engineering and construction, the implications of virtual design and the benefits of hands-on learning.

Nipmuc High School students Youssef Abdelmesih, Maxwell Bevivino, and Jorge Gamboni were given certificates of completion following their presentations.

“This opportunity enhanced authentic learning for students in their career areas of interest,” said Superintendent Cohen. “Application of innovative, collaborative and solution-oriented thinking in programs such as Future Builders is a key component of Nipmuc’s ‘Portrait of a Learner’ model. At Nipmuc Regional High School we are dedicated to providing pathways for students to pursue their career interests and are proud of the success of this partnership.”

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